Monday, April 28, 2008

Think Twice About Cabela's

Cabela's in Dundee is said to be Michigan's biggest tourist attraction. After an attack by the US Sportsmen's Alliance, a group headed up by Richard Cabela, on Meijer and the Humane Society for running a promotion designed to help the pets that are victims of foreclosure, I doubt I will ever set foot in there again.

Meijer Inc. ducked Monday after finding itself in the cross hairs of a national hunting group over donations to help families and pets going through foreclosure.

The Foreclosure Pets Fund is run by the Humane Society of the United States -- an organization the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance charges is anti-hunting.

After the Alliance condemned Meijer Friday, the company Monday ended the program to donate $1, up to $5,000, for every entry in an online pet photo contest.


The Alliance justifies this action by saying that the Humane Society will use all their free money to attack hunting interests, so, they need to prevent that food and shelter from going to homeless pets.

"The money donated to the HSUS through this promotion, while not going directly to its anti-hunting campaign, will free up money from the organization's general fund that can be used to attack the right of sportsmen," the Alliance said Friday. In the release, the company posted contact information for Meijer chairman Hank Meijer.

"We were concerned about any company that aligns themselves with the Humane Society of the United States simply because of their views of hunting," spokesman Cory Johnson said. The Columbus, Ohio-based advocacy group has 35,000 members. Richard N. Cabela, founder of the outdoor retailing giant Cabela's Inc., is the CEO.


Wonder if they are attacking every company that supports the Humane Society, or just those that are competitors in the sporting goods market. The Humane Society has over 10 million members, so the Alliance better get on the ball if they intend to take them out.

Shame on them for doing this, and shame on Meijer for caving in.